Changearle advertising device, including adjacent endless belts movable in oppositedirections



May 9, 1950 A. ERISMAN 2,506,586

CHANGEABLE ADVERTISING DEVICE, INCLUDING ADJACENT ENDLESS BELTS MOVABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS Filed Dec. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 1s 52 6 5e 66 26 I8 2 u so 64 0 a9 4 62 4 76 .l I-

22 2o 0 a ,ll /70 66 0'6 0 24 2o 6 94 54 28 \A k )-k\ 12 a8 76 6 f1; 5

INVENTOR.

MM 54M A TTOR/VEYJ May 9, 1950 A. ERISMAN- 2,506,586 CHANGEABLE ADVERTISING DEvIcE, INCLUDING ADJACENT ENDLESS BELTS MOVABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FiledDec. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 4 0 6 O 4 M 2 S 6 9 O 4 2 8 8 8 6 8 2 2 2 2 w I 4 0 2 2 o 9 Z 9. 0.6 0 9 Z w 2 3 2 8 INVENTOR. Ado/pl: Ens/nan ATTORNEYS tions of the belts, during mentmay'be'read.

Patented May 9, 1950 PATENT orrlcr.

- -A-DVERTIS'ING DEVICE, no oLUmNG :ABJAGENT "EN-BLESS names MOYIABLEJN Y'QPBOSITYE DIRECTIQNS I Adolphhrismansmn Richmond, N. Y. v estates; steam. 29, 1945s SerialNo 638321 a an claims. Militi -=32) .Another. object A01 the invention resides in the.

provision iOf a plurality of endless belts hea ing exposed surfaces disposed in a common plane and upon which parts. ofthe-advertisements displayed at opposite sides oi-the sign are painted or 7 otherwise :d'elin'w'ted, :tog'ether with means :for

moving adjacent rbelts in relatively hpposite zdirelations to first iiisarrange ersor'an'rblethe parts of the letters orother advertisement displayed at one side of the sigh, and theh bring the same to gather in accurate registration-at the opposite sideofthesign. I I I A further object'of the i'nventioh is to-previue unproven for operatively -=mounting the "belts and-the actuating firechanismthere'for an elongated housin srructu're; 'saifi'cperating meehennui-including means providing a ewe]! period of ine required length between eriouic opem= which "the advertise= {It is an additionarobieot-of'the invention to proville 'a housing structure" embodying top and bottom sections "together with means rigi-dly-eon-' necting said sections assembled relation also serves :to guidethebeilts and prevent rem tlve transverse displacement of their advertisement carryingsurfaces. j My invention also cbmprieflhendslan .advertis'ii'ig display 'divi .aS fibd'lie c aracterised the 'Sl'lei'al cooperating parts of ivnicniare or simple and durable structuralrdrmena which beechtihiiOflSlY operat d at ,r'iegligible expense. with the above other subolflinate-obiflfis in View, "the invention comprises the improved changeable display-device and the form construetion and relative arrangement o'flits several parts, as will hereinafter vbe'more:fullyleseribed,--.;i11ustratedln the accompanying ,clrawing and subsequently incorporated .in the isuhjoinegl claims. In the drawings, wherein .1 have disclosed wne simple and practical embodiment of athe,inven and in whieh similarr-referenee characters :2 design te corresponding parts throughout the S'eVETaTVieWS Z Figure 1 is a, per pective view illustrating one desirable ornamental "embodiment of the present invention; I Figure 2 "18 a vertical longitudinal S'B'ctibhhl view;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken isu'b'stan many on the rinse-3 of=Figure 2,;

Figure 4 is ahorizontal sect on taken substan tially on the line 4 'il orFi gure 23 and Figure 5 is a vertical ..transverse section taken substantially on the -line 5-=5 of Figure 2.

Referring [in further detail'to the drawin s "in the selected embodiment or my invention, the display apparatus and the operating mechanism therefor is mounted as a separately assembled unit Within -aiiil between narrow elongated D and bottom housing sections 110 and [2 res ectively. This unit assembly includes ii'pper'lahd lower frame plates l t and l'fi respectively Which are rigidly connected in vertically spaced apart relation at their opposite ends by the rods J8. The end portions of thelowerirameplate .116 are upwardly offset as at 20 and extend in parallel relation to the corresponding ends of theu per frame plate It. 'In these end por'tions ofthe two i-rameiplates vertical shafts .22 and 2 1'respiective-- 1y are jo'urnallefi A pmrality or pulleys, six in the present instance, are mounted upon-each or these shafts, alternate pulleys '26 being fixed "to the shaft .by means of set screws 28 .'for unitary rotation therewith, while the remaining pulleys 30 are loose on the shaft. "It will be noted irorn reference to Figure 2 that the fixecl pulleys von one of the shafts 722- 24 are in horizontal .alignw merit with the loose pulleys-on the other Shaft;

The pulleys 26 and )3!) are peripheriallylformed to receive the 'V -shaped belts 32. The opposite side Walls of the belt receiving grooves in the fixed pulleys 26 are connected by the drive pins which are received between space teeth'or ribs 36 formed. upon the inner sides of the respective belts, as shown more vparticularly in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Above the :frameplate l4, gear member 38 .is lined upon the upper end of the shaft 2-2. This gear is in constant mesh with a similar vgear M journalled upon a stud shaft-42 -fixed:in theiratne plate M, and with this gear, :a relatively small diameter sprocket 44 is integrally formed; To the upper end of shaft 24, a similar -,-sproeket 46 is fixed. These sprockets are connected by the endless chain 48 engaged by the relatively large diameter drive sprocket 5.3 fixed 420 the upper end of the vertical shaft 52 journalled in the frame plates I4 and. I6.

To the under side of the frame plate I I, the flange 56 of a fractional horse-power gear reduction motor 54 is secured by rivets 58. In a suitable bearing 60 on the motor case a vertically disposed shaft 62 is journalled and has a beveled pinion 64 at its upper end in "mesh with the beveled pinion 66 on the drive shaft of the motor. To the lower end of shaft 62, crank arm 68 is fixed and is pivotally connected at 12 with one end of the connecting rod 10. The other end of this rod is provided with a longitudinal slot I4 in which a pin I8 fixed in the crank arm 56 on the lower end of shaft 52 is slidably engaged.

The outer surfaces of the side walls of the housing sections I6 and I2 are provided with longitudinally continuous shallow grooves or channels 80. Before assembly of the above described mechanism with the housingsections the lower angularly 'ofis'et edge portions 84"o'f the belt guiding platesBZ are secured to the inner side faces of the opposite side walls of the lower housing section I2 byscrews 85, the heads of which are flush with the basewall of the channel 88. The assembled mechanism is now mounted upon and secured to the lower housing section I2 by the screws 88 disposed through registering openings in. thebottom wall of said housing section and frame plate I6 and'threaded into tapped bores in the lower ends of rods I8. The upper angularly offset ends 95 of the guide plates 82' extend above the frame plate I4 and are secured to the inner faces of the opposite side walls of housing section It by screws 92 having their heads flush with the base walls of the channel 80. The housing sections III and I2 are preferably of wood and after the assembly is completed, the grooves or channels 80 in the housing walls receive the chrome metal strips 94 concealing the screws 86 and 92 and having their outer. surfaces flush with the 'outer'surfaces of the housing walls. These walls may be painted a desirable color so that the exposed surfaces of the metal strips 94' offer an ornamental color contrasttherewith. It will-be'observed that since the guide plates 82 are located closely adjacent to the inner sides of the belts 32 they will prevent inward displacement of the belts relativelyjto each other between the spacedseries oflpull'eys and maintain the outer surfaces of said belts substantially in a common plane with the outersur faces of the side walls of the upper and lower housing sections/IE and I2. V J :The top wall of housing section it is preferably provided centrally thereof with a multiplicity of ventilating apertures 96 for the motor 54, and

in the opposite ends thereof eye bolts 98 are suitably secured, whereby thesign may be conveniently hung or suspended from a supporting structure;

While the belts 32 are stationary, suitable advertisements are painted or otherwise delineated upon the exposed surfaces thereof at opposite sides of the sign, a portion of such advertising matter being carried by each of the belts as indi- 'cated at I in Figure 1 of the drawings. Thesev sign are legible. necting rod 10 coacts with pin I8 on crank arm I6 to rotate the shaft 52, thus simultaneously transmitting rotation through the large sprocket and chain 48 and the small sprockets 44 and 46 to' the pulley operating shafts 22 and 24. The

adjacent belts are thus driven by pins 34 on the two series of fixed pulleys 30 in relatively opposite directions and at the same speed. The adjacent portions of the advertising matter I00 on the belts will therefore be relatively displaced, resulting in such'scrambling 0r jumbling of the parts of the advertisement that it is no longer intelligible. The ratio of the small sprockets l l and 46 relativeto the large sprocket bit is such that in the rotation ofthe latter through approximately one hundred and eighty degrees the belts will be moved for a distance which is substan-.

tially equal to one half of the length of the housing, at which time the parts of the advertisements carried by said belts will again be disposed :in

exact registration, but with the advertisements reversed with respect to the opposite sides'of the housing from the P eceding display. in the cone tinued rotation of crank 58, connecting .bar 10:

will be moved relative to pin 18 forpthe length;

of slot 14 during which time the belts remain stationary. after which. the connecting,rod- ;l0; again. engages pin I8 to rotate shalt 52 inaclockwise direction, reversing the directionof move;

ment of the adjacent belts and restoring the same,

to ,th e positions seen in l'figure 1. It will thus,-

be understood that-in each, cycle of operation, the

v two advertisements carried by the series of belts are displayed at each side of the S n.

m th ave-it w l b enn f te t by the; movement of the" adjacent parts of the lettering or other advertising matter in relatively opposite directions lengtliwise of the sign, the interestor urosity of the observer is sunlciently aroused that; approaching the signal; either side thereof, he will linger for the nece s sary time to read both of the advertisements carriedt 'the'movmgteus. or course, it be apparentfthat, if "cleare the mg section Ill' maybe equipped with means for mounting fluorescent "el''tfid "tubes 01 1 other meansfto illumi'riate the posed surfaceslof the belts so" that the "sign "may be effectivel used during the night as well, asdayfj 1.

Finally, it will ,be' observed "thatthe "individual mechanical elements oflan' advertising display sign having the severaljnovel features abovefde scribed, are of simple" and""durable structural form which may' be fabricated at low cost'and easily and quickly assembled in proper oooperative relation. It is also to benoted that; by reason of the highly compact assembly of the several'parts the overall dimensionsof the'sign areheld to a so that it"may be mount-j ed and arranged'for operation in a relatively restricted space'where more elaborate mec'lia nism's, heretofore devised for "the same general purpose could not be efiectively employed. The invention may be embodied in other pper" lion'sspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The pres ent embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a cheangeable display sign, a plurality of parallel vertically superposed endless belts movable in a common plane and each carrying portions of two advertisements, and means operatively connected to positively drive each of said belts and periodically move the adjacent belts at equal speeds in relatively opposite directions and register the portions of the respective advertisements carried thereby alternately at opposite sides of the sign.

2. The changeable display sign defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises two spaced sets of pulleys, a common supporting shaft for the pulleys in each set, alternate pulleys in each set being loosely mounted on the associated shaft and the remaining pulleys being fixed thereto, and corresponding in axial location with the fixed and loose pulleys respectively in the disposed in a common plane at opposite sides of the sign, an operating motor, a shaft driven thereby, and means operable in each revolution of said shaft to reversibly move the adjacent belts at the same speeds in relatively opposite directions and register the portions of the respective advertisements carried thereby alternately at opposite sides of the sign.

4. The changeable display sign as defined in claim 3 wherein said means includes a lost motion connection to provide a dwell period following each registration of the advertisement portions, and thereafter cause a reversal in the direction of relative movement of the adjacent belts.

5. In a changeable display sign, a supporting frame, spaced vertical shafts journalled in said frame, a series of belt pulleys on each of said shafts, means securing alternate pulleys in each set in fixed relation to the shaft for rotation therewith, the remaining pulleys in each set being loose on the shaft and located axially thereof correspondingly to fixed pulleys on the other shaft, belts engaged with the corresponding fixed and loose pulleys each carrying portions of two advertisements, means on the fixed pulleys coacting with means on the respective belts to positively move the latter, an operating motor, a shaft driven thereby, and means operatively connecting said motor driven shaft with said vertical shafts to reversibly rotate the latter in relatively opposite directions and periodically move the adjacent belts in relatively opposite directions to register the portions of the respective advertisements carried thereby alternately at opposite sides of the sign.

6. The changeable display sign as defined in claim 5 in which said last-named means includes a shaft mounted in the frame, a sprocket fixed to one end thereof, a sprocket fixed to one of said vertical shafts, a gear fixed to the other of said vertical shafts, a gear rotatably mounted on the frame and meshing with said first-named gear, a sprocket integral with the second-named gear, a drive chain driven by said first-named sprocket and trained about the gear sprocket and the sprocket on said vertical shaft, and a lost motion operating connection between said motor driven shaft and the shaft of said first-named sprocket providing a dwell period in the movement of the belts after each registration of the advertisement portions carried thereby.

7. An advertising display sign comprising upper and lower housing sections, a display unit assembly including advertisement carrying members mounted for movement relative to each other and said housing sections, and rigid connecting elements secured to corresponding side walls of the housing sections and extending between the sections closely adjacent to said movable members to prevent angular displacement thereof from their paths of movement.

8. An advertising display sign comprising upper and lower housing sections, a display unit assembly including a plurality of relatively movable endless belts having advertisement carrying surfaces, means for rigidly mounting said unit assembly within the lower housing section, and belt guiding means carried by the opposite side walls of said housing sections and disposed closely adjacent to the belts to prevent lateral inward displacement thereof from a plane which is substantially coincident with the side walls of the housing sections.

9. The advertising display sign as defined in claim 8 wherein said belt guiding means comprises rigid metal plates internally secured to corresponding side walls of the housing sections and constituting the sole means supporting the upper housing section with relation to the display unit.

10. The changeable display sign defined in claim 1 wherein the belt operating means includes separate drive shafts for the adjacent belts, and means operatively connected with said shafts to rotate the same in opposite directions and to periodically reverse the direction of relative rotation of said shafts.

ADOLPH ERISMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 202.214 Baker Apr. 9, 1878 400,549 Dahlstrom Apr. 2, 1889 584,181 Ley June 8, 1897' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 628,779 Germany Apr. 16, 1936 

